The fifth wheel coupling concept, used by the heavy trucking industry, has been adapted for use by light trailers in combination with light duty trucks, such as pickups. The light duty fifth wheel usually utilizes a standard trailer hitch and ball rather than the rotating king-pin assembly used in the heavy trucking industry. The light duty fifth wheel is generally employed with long-neck trailers for hauling loads and livestock. Quite often the long-neck is shortened and used with a recreational vehicle, camper, trailer or mobile home. In this case the front extension of the recreational vehicle actually forms the long-neck required for this type of trailer and towing vehicle combination.
Tremendous mechanical abuse is suffered by both vehicles when one vehicle is towing another. Road conditions such as bumps, chuckholes, dips and wallowing pavement are all transmitted between the towed vehicle and towing vehicle by a fifth wheel coupler. This invention improves the fifth wheel coupler by adding a shock absorbing device specifically designed to reduce shock, tugging, pushing, and surge loads that are transmitted between and imposed on the two vehicles. The fifth wheel coupler adds an important safety feature in that reduction of these transmitted loads substantially eliminates the possibility of metal fatigue in the coupler assembly.
A shock absorbing device would be very useful when used in combination with livestock or horse trailers, because animals are very sensitive to shock and movement while contained within the confines of trailers. A shock absorber device will lessen the back and forth bounce which is transmitted between two vehicles thus improving traveling conditions for prize animals.
A properly designed towing coupler used between a towed vehicle and a towing vehicle should have the following features:
a) the coupler must be able to transmit the towing force from the towing vehicle to the towed vehicle in order to allow the towed vehicle to be pulled along and, PA1 b) the coupler should reduce or eliminate the transmitted shock loads between the two vehicles caused by encountered road conditions. PA1 a) the device ensures that optimum shock absorption occurs while the two vehicles are following a straight line path; PA1 b) the device provides for easily adjustable damping coefficients which allows the manufacturer to manufacture one such device to fit all sized loads thus saving the consumer money; PA1 c) the device is easy to manufacturer and thus will save the consumer money; PA1 d) the device solves the problem of compromised shock absorbing due to vertical (gravity) loads; PA1 e) the device protects the moving components from dust and dirt; and, PA1 f) the device is simple and easy to maintain.